Description

This record wasn’t on the radar but here it is!

This summer, forest fires and smoke kept me inside with nothing to do and really great idea hit me. Out of the blue last May, my old band Silver‘s hit song, “Wham Bam Shang-a-Lang” from 1976 was part of the soundtrack to the movie Guardians Of The Galaxy ll. The song got so popular on Youtube with close to 8 million views, I thought maybe it was time to reflect on all the music I have released in my 47 years.

As many of you know, I hated that song when I recorded it but the resurgence of the song and band being a part of this blockbuster hit movie and soundtrack CD has softened me up! As I have been touring now for the last 14 years as a solo act, I never played songs from the Batdorf and Rodney or Silver days I didn’t write mainly because I was forced to do them by the record company. I started messing around in my studio and came up with an acoustic version of Wham Bam and before you knowing I was onto “Somewhere In The Night”, “You Are a Song” and a song I was always meant to sing from the first All Wood And Stones CD, “The Last Time”.

This thing was really taking shape so I started asking folks for songs that they might want to hear re-done including some obscure Batdorf and Rodney and Silver songs as well as a Batdorf and McLean song. I have also recorded two brand new songs, “Thanks To Me” and “Time To Say Goodnight”. Now after close to a year, a seventeen song CD, “Me And My Guitar” is a done deal.

Thanks so much for the years of support enjoy the music, again!

John Batdorf

Starry nights, sunny days
I always thought that love should be that way
Then comes a time that you’re ridden with doubt
You’ve loved all you can and now you’re all loved out
Ooh, ooh, baby, we’ve been a long, long way
And who’s to say where we’ll be tomorrow
Well my heart says no, but my mind says it’s so
That we got a love, is it a love to stay
We got a wham bam shang-a- lang and a
Sha la la la la la thing
Wham bam shang-a- lang and a
Sha la la la la la thing
Looking at you I wanted to say
I think a little emotion goes a long long way
Careful now, don’t get caught in your dreams
Look out baby this is not what it seems
Ooh, ooh, baby, you’ve been so good to me
But please don’t make its what it’s not
Well, I thought we agreed on what we need
So listen to me, I’ll tell you what we go
We got a wham bam shang-a- lang and a
Sha la la la la la thing
Wham bam shang-a- lang and a
Sha la la la la la thing

I think you’re hearin’ what I been sayin’
‘Cause I hear you singing’ to the tune I’m playin’
Now that it’s said and we both understand
Let’s say our goodbyes before it gets out of hand
Bye, bye, baby, I’d really like to stay
But we’ll remember the best times in our life
We had a wham bam shang-a- lang and a sha la la la la la thing
Wham bam shang-a- lang and a sha la la la la la thing

You are the one that I’m dreaming of
Makin’ sadness beauty telling stories of love
And you’re everywhere and you’re everything to me
You are the one that I’m living for
Makin’ rain making wind, makin’ sea touch the shore
And you’re everywhere and you everything to me

You are the one and you keep me smiling in the morning through the night
And you are the one and you keep me laughing telling me wrong and what is right
You are the one that turns day into tonight
Making birds wake the sun chasing darkness with light
And your everything and everywhere I see

And you are the one you know that feeds me each day,
Making shelter from the cold giving me a place to lay
And your everything and everywhere I see.
You are the one and you keep me smiling in the morning through the night
And you are the one and you keep me laughing telling me wrong and what is right

Music’s here for us to love each day,
Making friends with everybody, chasin’ worries away
So go out and find someone to sing with you
It’s such a lovely mornin’ let’s sing away the dew

You are the one that I’m dreaming of,
Makin’ sadness beauty telling stories of love
Music’s everywhere, music’s everything to me

You are the one and you keep me smiling in the morning through the night
And you are the one and you keep me laughing telling me wrong and what is right

Time, you found time enough to love
And I found love enough to hold you
So tonight, I'll stir the fire you feel inside
Until the flames of love enfold you
Laying beside you, lost in the feeling
So glad you open my door, Come with me
Somewhere in the night we will know, everything lovers can know
You’re my song, music too magic to end
I’ll play you over and over again
Loving so warm, moving so right
Closing our eyes, and feeling the light
We’ll just go on burning bright
Somewhere in the night
You’ll sleep when the morning comes
And I'll lie and watch you sleeping
And you'll smile, when you dream about the night
Like it's a secret you’ve been keeping

Laying beside you lost in the feeling
So glad you opened my door, Come with me
Somewhere in the night we will know, everything lovers can know
You’re my song, Music too magic to end
I’ll play you over and over again
Loving so warm, moving so right
Closing our eyes, and feeling the light
We’ll just go on burning bright
Somewhere in the night

He’s counting the hours until, he sees her face again
Three hours is a million years, he just can’t wait till then
Last night was electric, she knocked him off of his feet
He’s been down this road before, he knows this side of the street
With all of his heart he believes that it’s love
But somehow he ought to see

It’s not love, ‘til its been through a storm
It’s not love, ‘til it’s died and reborn
It’s not love, ‘til it comes to an end
And still you have faith to try once again
Till then it’s not love, it’s not love, no no

It’s over and done before he knows what broke his heart
You’d think he’d have learned by now, I guess he’s not that smart
Somebody who loved him, much more than he ever knew
Kept trying to tell him but, it never did get through
What he keeps on telling himself is love
Is really something else

It’s not love, ‘til its been through a storm
It’s not love, ‘til it’s died and reborn
It’s not love, ‘til it comes to an end
And still you have faith to try once again
Till then it’s not love

It’s not love just because it feels right
It’s not love until you’ve sacrificed
It’s not love ‘til it’s over and then
You’ll both find the strength to try once again
Till then it’s not love

He should know, somethin’ ‘bout love
She told him long ago

It’s not love until we’ve healed the hurt
It’s not love ‘til we both make its work

It’s not love ‘til we’ve seen all the flaws
It’s not love ‘til we’ve given our all
It’s not love what we have you and me
It’s not love but I want it to be

It’s not love ‘til we heal the hurt
It’s not love ‘til l we make it work
It’s not love ‘til we’ve seen all the flaws
It’s not love ‘til l we’ve given our all
It’s not love
It’s not love

Whenever I am feelin’ low, when everything starts moving slow,
And everything I do seems to go wrong,
That’s when I run straight to you,
‘Cause that’s where skies are always blue,
And music plays the whole night through
‘Cause love, you are a song

As long as I’m with you, I hear singing
As long as I’m with you, bells keep ringin’
As long as I’m with you I know I’m right where I belong,
And I hear music ‘cause you are a song

Whenever troubles get me down,
Whenever smiles give into frowns,
And the blues start hangin’ ‘round too long,
I find my way to you again
Guided by a gentle wind
I hear the strings of violins
‘Cause love, you are a song.

As long as I’m with you, I hear singing
As long as I’m with you, bells keep ringin’
As long as I’m with you I know I’m right where I belong,
And I hear music ‘cause you are a song

Will you see you smile at the corner in the morning of you’re wandering
Will you see your eyes looking at you in the midst of all your pondering

Will you see yourself again searching where he might’ve been
Can you wait forever holding onto nothing,
What can keep you going when there’s everybody knowing
That you’ll never see his face again

Will you stop and laugh when the joker passes telling funny rhymes
Will you listen to the organ grinder watching people throwing dimes

Will you see yourself again searching where he might’ve been
Can you wait forever holding onto nothing,
What can keep you going when there’s everybody knowing
That you’ll never see his face again

Knocking round from door to door, Been there several times before
Been there several times before, Asking questions still you find no more
Hoping someday you will find, answers to your mystery
Don’t you understand that there’s no door

Will you see yourself again searching where he might’ve been
Can you wait forever holding onto nothing,
What can keep you going when there’s everybody knowing
That you’ll never see his face again

I’m the guy who makes things better,
I could change your life forever too, Just you follow me
With your good looks and my connections,
I’ll be good at resurrectin’ you, Just follow me

If your aimin’ for the big time, I’m the one for you
Sign right here on the bottom line that’s all you got to do

Come with me and I guarantee, you’ll see your face on the magazines
Come with me and I promise you’ll go far, you’ll be a star
Thanks to me

Life’s too short and fame is fleeting,
You could really take a beating if you, don’t follow me
It’s my job and I couldn’t be greater, if you can pay me sooner than later,
You can follow me

This here town is full of doubters sad to say it’s true
I won’t back down I’m not not a coward I’ll be there for you

Come with me and I guarantee, you’ll see your face on the silver screen
Come with me and I promise you’ll go far, you’re a star
Thanks to me

I can’t work for free and baby your bill’s way past due
If you can’t pay me some way maybe, guess our time is through

Everybody has their time and now that
You are past your prime no need for you To follow me
cos I Found me someone younger baby reminds me of you
But she’s new, full of hunger and she keeps comin’ through

She’s with me and I guarantee, you’ll see her face on the magazines
She’s with me and I promise that she’ll go far
Cos She’s with me I guarantee, you’ll see her pretty face on the silver screen
She’s with me and I promise she’ll go far, ‘cos she’s a star … Thanks to me

Oh it’s time to say goodnight my friends
Though I wish this night would never end
Thanks for listening to me
I am wishing truly
That is wasn’t time to say
Goodnight

Oh it’s time to say farewell for now
(But) I won’t leave this night behind somehow
There have been memories made here and
I’ll feel all of you are near
When tomorrow makes it very clear
Just why, oh why it was hard to say goodnight

If I sang you every song I know
I’d write more so I could truly show
What it means to carry
All I feel so very much…wish we all could stay in touch forever
That would be alright
After we have said goodnight

And the older I get it seems
Here with you
Life’s more fleeting than younger dreams
You’ve made this one come true

It’s time to say goodnight my friends
Though I wish this night would never end
Thanks for listening to me
I want to tell you truly
That I mean this so resolutely
You’ve made it really very hard for me to finally say goodnight
But it’s time to say goodnight my friends
Though I hoped this night would never end…………goodnight

2 reviews for Me & My Guitar

Rated 5 out of 5

Dennis Wasnich –May 13, 2018

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great unplugged concert for your living room
ByDennis O. Wasnich. May 9, 2018
I can’t quite figure out where to start on this, so I’ll simply say I’m really liking it! It’s the reasons for liking it that are complex. First of all, after following Batdorf & Rodney in the 70s and John Batdorf’s “solo” career in this century, I’m pretty familiar with most of the songs (there are only a couple new compositions) because I’ve sung along with them for years. But if you think this is a kind of “greatest hits” CD, then you would be wrong. These songs have been rebuilt from the ground up, rearranged and rethought and put into a more modern context while retaining the wonderful freshness of the originals. Secondly, while I like what John has done over the years, the thing I like best is the almost-pure acoustic guitar tunes that remind me of those great 70s acoustic songs and made me want to play guitar. This entire album is like that: in most cases, just a couple of acoustic guitars with maybe a bass and percussion and a lead vocal with maybe some backing vocals in key spots and a touch of lead guitar to highlight and identify the tune. I wouldn’t call it sparse, but it is far from some of the high-production songs you hear these days! It’s like listening to a small acoustic group performing for you right in your living room. And then, the singing and playing is great throughout this CD, some of John’s best stuff and you can appreciate it because the vocals and nuances of his guitar are up front and ready to be listened to unfettered by the “wall of sound” engineering you often hear. John is a unique and talented guitar player who also happens to have a great voice and you get to admire both on this CD. And finally, you get your money’s worth with seventeen songs. I might be able to add a few from my wish-list to be included in the “Me and My Guitar II” CD, but you certainly get a full helping of John Batdorf on this one!

Now let’s hit some highlights, although there are too many to itemize them all. So maybe I’ll simply point out the very brightest highlights. Two great sing-along songs are here: “Wham-Bam” and “Is it Love?” – vastly different, but both songs that you can’t help but raise your own voice and try to match at least on the chorus. The chills that “Somewhere in the Night” sends down your back in the closing moments of soaring vocals make it stand out. Throughout the rest, the sweetness and emotion expressed cannot be denied, “She Made Me Smile” and “You Are a Song” and “Life Is You” are uplifting and poignant, “You Are the One” and “Me and My Guitar” guarantee toe-tapping pleasure, “Never See His Face Again” and “Working Man, Blind Man” and “Poor Man’s Dream” touch upon the true feelings of the average person. I could go on, but you get the point that there are some great songs here no matter how you might feel, and even the pure musical enjoyment of “The Last Time” and others will have to returning to listen to these songs again and again for years. I know that’s true because I’ve already been doing it on the original versions of most of these, and now I get a fresh approach to them so I can start over!

I don’t know where to end this review either except to say if any of this sounds interesting to you, then buy this CD and find out what the rest of us have known for years.

Rated 5 out of 5

Chris Abood –May 13, 2018

Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
What’s “Old” is New And Beautiful Again!
By The Soft Needleon May 9, 2018
Imagine sitting in your living room and having John Batdorf play his music for you and maybe a few of your friends. He occasionally brings in a musical buddy to add some harmony or an extra bass line. You’ve asked John for a nice, long show which includes songs from his past and a story (now liner notes) about how they have inspired his present… And you are loving every moment of it! That’s how you will feel as you dive into this wonderful new CD, Me And My Guitar. John re-imagines many of his old songs in new and intimate ways. The first words I think of as I listen are “sincerity with purpose”. John is expressing his feelings in every song with strong voice and the wisdom of his now long career, and I think he wants us to really appreciate all the emotions he’s experienced in his decades of writing and recording. Think about it this way: if you could do something over again, with the of experience and the decisions you’ve made, would you be able to do it better? John has succeeded in this exercise.

If you are a fan of his duo days with Mark Rodney, James Lee Stanley and Michael McLean, or his catalog of sols discs, you’ll be so pleased to hear this variety of special songs painted in fresh ways. Listen to Poor Man’s Dream and hear John reflect about how grateful and lucky he STILL is for all the love he’s had and the career he’s experienced, with all its ups and downs. Enjoy the gentle beauty as he tells us again that “It’s Gonna Be Alright.” I especially love the new, acoustic versions of “You Are a Song” and “Is This Love,” as the third CD from B & R was so overproduced that the meaning of these tunes was almost lost in the noise. “Time to Say Goodnight” is the right ending to our living room show.

This is John Batdorf sharing his unforgettable songs in a new and engaging way, with pristine, you-are-in-the-room production. He’s shown us once again how right we were when we fell in love with his music as teenagers, and we can still recognize and enjoy his greatness in his fifth decade of music-making.